Taliban Orders Closure of Women's Beauty Salons in Afghanistan Within a Month
Shafaq News/ The Taliban government in Afghanistan has mandated the closure of women's beauty salons across the country within a month, according to an announcement by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
This latest measure by the movement further restricts the rights and freedoms of women, following previous bans on education and work in most sectors.
Muhammad Siddiq Akif Mohajer, a spokesperson for the Ministry, confirmed the decision without providing further details.
The directive, based on "verbal instructions" from the Taliban's supreme leader, Mulla Haibatullah Akhundzada, targets beauty salons in the capital, Kabul, and all provinces.
Salon owners have been given a month to close their businesses, with a requirement to report their compliance at the end of the period, as reported by the Associated Press.
This development comes just days after Akhundzadeh claimed that his government had taken steps to improve women's lives in Afghanistan. He asserted that measures had been implemented to provide a "comfortable and prosperous life under Islamic law" during his statement on Eid al-Adha.
Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban government has introduced various restrictions on women's rights. They have been banned from attending secondary schools and universities, accessing public parks, amusement parks, and gyms, and ordered to wear the hijab in public.
Women have also been prohibited from working for the United Nations or NGOs, leading to thousands of job terminations in government positions. Despite initial promises to uphold women's rights under Islamic law, including the right to work and study, the Taliban has systematically excluded women and girls from public life.
Ministerial positions lack female representation, and the Ministry of Women's Affairs has been dissolved, effectively erasing women's political participation.
According to a United Nations Women's Commission report issued in August last year on the first anniversary of the Taliban's ascension to power, human rights violations against women and girls have escalated over the past 12 months.
Women's beauty salons have played a crucial role in Afghan society, providing a safe space for women to gather and communicate away from men. They also offered vital employment opportunities, often serving as the sole source of income for many families.
The new closure order poses further challenges for women in the country, leaving many concerned about the impact on their livelihoods and access to essential services.
